Exactly a year ago today, April 8, 2020, the Online IYCF Counseling Project of the City/District Nutrition Program Coordinators (C/DNPC) of Metro Manila Association was launched as part of the campaign in promoting proper infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.

With the assistance from the National Nutrition Council – NCR (NNC-NCR), the Association established an online counseling for mothers/caregivers who are having problems related to IYCF. This was in response to the overwhelming queries on breastfeeding received through social media, various online posts of mothers asking/requesting formula milk and calls for milk donation that started during the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) in 2020.

Looking Back at a year of online counseling

Indeed, the project has come a long way after a year of implementation. From the initial 14 members from six (6) local government units (LGU) in Metro Manila, to date, there are now 48 volunteer IYCF counselors from all the 17 LGUs working in the project. The IYCF counselors or NCR Breastfeeding Friends (BFFs) are licensed Nutritionist-Dietitians trained on IYCF who provide free counseling to mothers/caregivers to help them in their breastfeeding concerns, complementary feeding practices for children 6 months and above and even on childcare practices. 

As of March 31, 2021, a total of 367 messages were received by NNC-NCR for counseling and 15 requests for lactation massage. Out of the 367 queries received, 325 pregnant and lactating mothers and caregivers were counseled. Also, all requests for lactation massage were forwarded to the nutrition offices of their respective LGUs. 

Mothers counseled have expressed their appreciation for the project. One of the first mothers counseled, Mommy Precious from Cavite, was very thankful that she and other mothers like her have someone to talk to amidst the pandemic. Some counselees also appreciate the kindness of the BFFs and the extra time and effort that the BFFs have taken in teaching them not only about IYCF but on other nutrition concerns as well.

"Ms. Mary Anne is a kind nutritionist-dietitian. Ipinaliwanag niya sa akin ng maayos at mahinahon yung mga bagay na gusto kong malaman tungkol sa pagpapakain ko sa baby ko na six months old. Sobrang naliwanagan at nawala yung pag-aalala ko tungkol sa kalusugan ng baby ko," Mommy Kimberly Almasco of Pasig City said. Ms. Mary Anne Padre is a BFF from Quezon City.

Continuous promotion of the project is being done through posting of web articles and social media cards in the NNC-NCR webpage and Facebook page. NNC-NCR Regional Nutrition Program Coordinator and adviser of the C/DNPC Association Milagros Elisa Federizo also presented the project at the 6th National Conference of Nutrition Action Officers held on October 8, 2020. UNICEF also interviewed mothers considered as successful cases and their respective BFFs to be featured in a documentary video.

Regular meetings were done to discuss updates, challenges encountered and recommendations to improve the counseling service. For the continuous improvement of skill set on IYCF counseling, the NNC-NCR and NCR BFFs conducted a two-part case management discussion held on December 4, 2020 and January 13, 2021 via zoom. Together with medical IYCF coordinators and project consultants, Dr. Shari Sabalvaro (Mandaluyong City) and Dr. Cherry Navidad (Muntinlupa City), the discussion provided NCR BFFs with the opportunity to share experiences, learnings, challenges encountered, and recommendations to further improve their counseling skills and case management. NCR BFFs also attended a two-day refresher course on IYCF conducted by NNC-NCR on March 30-31, 2021.  

Moving forward to 2021 and beyond

RNPC Federizo expressed her deepest gratitude and heartfelt congratulations to all NCR BFFs on the first-year anniversary of the online IYCF counseling project of the C/DNPC Association. She thanked the group for making the project happen and for sustaining it despite the challenges and problems encountered along the way.

"Isang taon na mula ng ating pagtulungang gawin ang proyektong ito na ang tanging hangarin ay masagip ang mga sanggol at mga bata sa malnutrisyon lalo na ngayong pandemya sa pamamagitan ng pagbibigay ng payo sa mga ina tungkol sa tamang pagpapasuso at complementary feeding," RNPC Federizo said.

She added, "I hope that this project will continue and evolve into something bigger so that more mothers will get the help that they need regarding infant and young child feeding and be comforted in knowing “na hindi sila nag-iisa, na mayroon silang breastfeeding friend, handang makinig sa kanila at magbigay ng payo”."

The NCR BFFs commit to continue giving free online counseling and assist more mothers in their IYCF journey to prevent malnutrition especially stunting. NNC-NCR also remains steadfast in its commitment to assist in the project by facilitating conduct of regular meetings, case management discussions and capability building activities for continuous improvement of skills set of the NCR BFFs.

As the saying goes, "It takes a village to raise a child." Together, let us continue to protect, promote, and support IYCF amidst COVID-19.

Written by NOII Theresa A. Rivas and NPC Milagros Elisa V. Federizo